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Tradecraft Gear
__NOEDITSECTION__ This category includes recording devices such as cameras, and many other items supporting espionage-related activities. Recording Devices Audio, video, and photographic gear all operates on the same basic principle: capture an image and/or sound for later viewing. Using these devices is as simple as making a Search/Perception check. The result cap of any Analysis/Examine Media check later made to view the media is equal to the examining character’s standard result cap or the Perception check result made to create the media, whichever is lower. Tradecraft Gear Tables Power Rating (PR): This column lists the Power Rating of an item’s primary effect. This Power Rating is used in a variety of ways, as noted in the item’s description. Size/Hands (SZ/H): This column lists an item’s Size and the number of hands required to use it. Battery Life (Battery): This column lists the length of time an item may remain active before its charge is depleted. Thereafter, each time it’s used without a recharge, the GC rolls 1d20. *With a result equal to or less than twice the number of times the item’s been used since its charge was depleted, the item’s power runs completely dry. The current use is aborted, the character who attempted it loses the chance to redirect his action, and the item may not be turned on again until it’s recharged. *With a result higher than twice the number of times the item’s been used since its charge was depleted, the item continues to run for an amount of time equal to its battery life, or until it’s turned off, at which point another roll must be made to determine if it continues to function. Recharging an item costs 1 Common Item or 1/100 the item’s street value (rounded up to the nearest dollar). If the item possesses no street value, recharging it requires 3 Common Items or 1 gear pick with a Caliber 1 lower than that of the item (minimum Caliber I). Unless otherwise specified, when an item’s battery life is listed in uses, each use lasts only for 1 applicable skill check or action. Tradecraft Pick Descriptions 'Cameras' The listed “battery life” is for 1 load of film. The character may request additional film at a cost of 1 Common Item per load. Each camera has enough actual battery life to take 4 loads of film. Further, a commercial- and higher-grade camera may accept the following upgrades: night vision (the camera operates like a standalone night vision sight — see page 317), telescopic vision (the camera operates like a standalone telescopic sight — see page 319), and thermal imaging (the camera operates like a standalone thermal sight — see page 319). One camera may contain all of these upgrades, though all upgrades in each camera must be acquired separately. 'Code' The characters gain 1 code with a Power Rating and complexity listed in the pick’s table entry. They are provided with up to 3 coder mechanisms and 3 decoder mechanisms of their choice. 'Cover Identity' The character gains 1 cover identity that only he may use. The details of the identity are left to the character, except that it must fall within one of the following communities: academic, blue collar, criminal, government, grifter, high-tech, local, media, medical, military, police, research, street, white collar, or wilderness. A cover identity provides 2 benefits. *When operating in the cover identity, the character’s Lifestyle within the chosen community becomes equal to the identity’s Power Rating. This Lifestyle does not grant the character additional gear, spending cash, vehicles, or a separate Appearance modifier; it only grants him a different home and wardrobe suitable to the chosen community. *When anyone looks into the identity’s background, all supporting documentation and other evidence is made available through standard channels. Only a successful Complex Investigation/Research Task with a number of Challenges equal to the identity’s Power Rating reveals that it’s a fraud. This Task’s DC is equal to 10 + (5 × the identity’s Power Rating). A cover identity is “blown” whenever its Power Rating decreases below 0, or when someone completes a Complex Investigation/Research Task with a DC of 5 × the identity’s Power Rating and a number of Challenges equal to its Power Rating. A blown cover identity cannot be used for any purpose. 'Detention' The characters may designate any 1 captured known criminal or enemy of their Faction, calling for his detention in a local Faction safe house. The target’s Lifestyle may not exceed 2 × the pick’s Power Rating, and the character may only be held for a number of days equal to the difference between his Lifestyle and the pick’s Power Rating (minimum 1) before he must either be released or eliminated. 'Dossier' The characters gain a dossier targeting 1 NPC. This NPC’s career level may not exceed 3 × the pick’s Power Rating. A dossier includes complete biographical information available from city, state, and national authorities without special clearance (e.g. birth certificate, credit history, DMV records, criminal records, adult psychiatric records, public financial data, military history sans black ops, etc.). Dossiers provide two additional benefits. *When the cover identity of a character targeted by a dossier comes into play against the person possessing the dossier, the cover identity’s Power Rating decreases by the dossier’s Power Rating for all related purposes. *When the Predator in a brainwash, interrogation, or manhunt possesses a dossier targeting the Prey, the result cap of his Conflict skill checks increases by 4 × the dossier’s Power Rating. 'Fiberscope' This device allows the character to snake a 10-ft. fiber-optic cable through a 1/4-in. hole, seeing into the area beyond. While using a fiberscope, a character suffers a result cap penalty, as well as range penalties with Notice/Awareness and Search/Perception checks, as shown in this pick’s table entry. 'Field Glasses' This bulky tripod-mounted device increases a character’s base visual range as shown in this pick’s table entry. Further, a set of field glasses may accept the following upgrades: night vision (the field glasses operate like a standalone night vision sight — see page 317), telescopic vision (the field glasses operate like a standalone telescopic sight — see page 319), and thermal imaging (the field glasses operate like a standalone thermal sight — see page 319). One set of field glasses may contain all of these upgrades, though all upgrades in each set of field glasses must be acquired separately. 'Legal Help, Extradition' The characters call for the extradition of 1 NPC from 1 country with an extradition treaty. This NPC’s career level may not exceed 3 × the pick’s Power Rating. If the NPC runs when approached, this pick becomes a manhunt resource with the same Caliber. 'Legal Help, Immunity' This pick operates like a pardon, except that the characters are arranging for their Faction to cover a crime they may commit at some point during the current mission. The GC must approve each request for legal immunity. 'Legal Help, Pardon' One illegal action taken by the team is waived and all notice of it is expunged from the public record, as shown on Table 4.69: Pardons. Any team members in custody are released in 1d8 hours + an additional number of hours equal to the pick’s Caliber or Reputation cost divided by 5 (rounded down, minimum 1). 'Legal Help, Warrant' The characters gain legal access to 1 private residence or organization, as well as its records. Per GC discretion, this residence or organization must be linked to a known crime before this pick may be chosen. The characters gain full access if the pick’s Power Rating exceeds a target individual’s Lifestyle, or a target organization’s Image Rating. Full access increases the pick’s result cap modifier, which applies to Analysis and Investigation checks made targeting the individual or organization, by an additional +10. 'Poison' The character gains 3 doses of the listed poison, as well as 3 antidote shots that only counteract the effects of the specific poison requested. The statistics for these and many other poisons and diseases are located on Table 4.70: Contagions. Note that many of the poisons and diseases on this table are not listed as Tradecraft picks. This is intentional — all unlisted contagions are reserved for GC use to develop plots. 'Tape Recorders' The listed “battery life” is for 1 cassette’s worth of audio. The character may request additional cassettes at a cost of 1 Common Item each. Each tape recorder has enough actual battery life to record 4 cassettes of audio. -AT